Ignore pro-Wike lawmakers on state expenditure, factional lawmakers tell Fubara

The Victor Oko-Jumbo-led Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed the purported resolution passed by the Martin Amaewhule-led Assembly which barred the governor and the state government from withdrawing money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state.

Speaking before the commencement of sitting in the Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital on Tuesday, Oko-Jumbo said Amaewhule and the other lawmakers who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress have lost their seats, describing their siting as illegal.

Oko-Jumbo said their seats were declared vacant on December 13, 2023, by Edison Ehie, the then duly recognised Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly.

This was contained in a statement issued by the factional Clerk of the state Assembly loyal to the state governor, G. M. Gillis-West on Tuesday.

The statement quoted Oko-Jumbo as saying, “The House states as follows: On December 11, 2023, at the 87th Legislative sitting of the House, former Speaker, Martin Amaewhule and the 24 former members defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.

“By virtue of Section 109(1) (g) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which are self-executing, and consequent upon their defection, on December 13, 2023, . Edison Ogerenye Ehie, as the then duly recognised Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, by virtue of a court order granted Justice Danagogo on December 12, 2023, in Suit No. PHC/3030/CS/2023, and pursuant to Section 109(2) of the 1999 Constitution, declared their seats vacant.”

Oko-Jumbo said it is laughable to have heard and seen the news of the illegal sitting of the 25 former members of the state House of Assembly, led by Amaewhule on television and social media space on July 15, 2024.

Recall that the Amaewhule-led House had during plenary on Monday passed a resolution to the effect that Fubara is not permitted to authorise the withdrawal of money from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State.

Amaehule also threatened a shutdown on expenditures until an Appropriation Bill for the 2024 fiscal year is presented to it by Fubara for consideration.

The pro-Wike lawmakers’ resolution directed the governor to desist from further authorisation of withdrawals from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the state while directing all the state government ministries, commissions, agencies, departments and extra-ministerial departments to desist from spending taxpayers’ funds until the 2024 Appropriation Bill is laid before the House.

But Oko-Jumbo, according to the statement insisted that the only recognised state legislature currently in the state is the one he presides over.

“Consequent upon constitutional provisions and the declaration of their seats vacant, the recognised 10th Rivers State House of Assembly is the one led by Victor Oko-Jumbo. Thus, the Rivers State Government has ceased paying any form of salaries, allowances or statutory remunerations to the former members.

“The 10th Rivers State House of Assembly, which is the legitimate House under the leadership of Victor Oko-Jumbo is the only one recognised by law and the Rivers State Government, and thus, has been receiving all statutory allocations due the House of Assembly.

“And has been discharging its financial obligations by paying the salaries of the recognised members of the House, their aides, and allowances of the public servants in the Rivers State House of Assembly,” the statement added.

Oko-Jumbo said Amaewhule and the 24 ex-lawmakers had hinged their resolution on Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution, which empowers a state governor to continue to make appropriations for six months, from the budget of the previous fiscal year, where for any reason, he was unable to present an Appropriation Bill to the House.

He noted, “May I remind the defected members that His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, presented the 2024 Appropriation Bill to the Rivers State House of Assembly, under the leadership of the then Speaker, Rt. Hon. Edison Ogerenye Ehie.

“It was duly passed on December 13, 2023, and assented to on December 14, 2023.”

He further said, “This House awaits to receive from His Excellency, the presentation of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework for the next three financial years, pursuant to Section 10 of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law, No 8 of 2010, in order to prepare for the 2025 fiscal year.

“The general public is, therefore, called upon to disregard and ignore those misguided former members, and also discountenance their illegal actions.

“I once again call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to expedite preparations towards the conduct of a bye-election to fill the vacant seats created in the Rivers State House of Assembly by the defection of Martin Amaewhule and 24 others.”

Oko-Jumbo explained that the position of the authentic state House of Assembly has been communicated to Prof. Ngozi Odu, the Deputy Governor of Rivers State; the Secretary to the Rivers State Government; the Head of the Civil Service of Rivers State; the Accountant-General; and Auditor-General of the state.

He said other institutions that have also been communicated, include the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Chairman of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission; Accountant-General of the Federation; Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank PLC; and Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank Group.

At the commencement of legislative business, a member representing Opobo/Nkoro State Constituency and Deputy Speaker, Hon Adolphus Orubienimigha, proposed the Rivers State Vocational and Technical Training Institute Bill 2024, which passed the first reading.

The bill seeks the establishment of a comprehensive training institute where Rivers youths, including women, can access to learn and acquire requisite and industry-based skills to become self-reliant or employable where such skills are needed.

Also at plenary, the House entertained the motion to Prohibit Public Defecation, which was proposed by Deputy Speaker, Hon Adolphus Orubienimigha, demanding the declaration of public health emergency on public defecation in order to protect public health and dignity of lives and ensure environmental responsibility in the State.

The House also received a petition from the Ataba Community in Andoni Local Government Area over the ongoing land dispute between Bonny and Ataba communities, with the speaker referring the petition to the Committee on Public Complaints headed by the member representing Ahoada West State Constituency and Leader of the House, Sokari Goodboy Sokari.